TWCO Sea Rescue Diver Watch Review

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At first glance, one might think the Technical Watch Co. Sea Rescue Diver is paying homage to some long lost Italian vessel. In reality, the green and red markers outlining the circumference of the dial represent periods of observed radio silence should an actual sea rescue be underway. Not important, you say? Ask the crew and passengers of the RMS Titanic. It is believed that one of the safety rules to emerge from its sinking were these periods of observable silence.

TWCO, established in 2012, a stone’s throw from the actual date the Titanic sank, is a Netherlands-based brand that draws its inspiration from two of Earth’s strongest forces: wind and water. Its effects are reflected in the owner’s design cues; he focuses his creativity on dive styled watches and aeronautical timepieces. Quality is paramount for the company as it has set out to manufacture each timepiece with specifications capable of withstanding the key elements of Mother Nature’s wrath.

Specs:

Case Diameter: 43mm

Bezel Diameter: 44mm

Case Height: 15.5 mm

Lug Size: 22mm

Lug to Lug: 51mm

Bracelet: 316L surgical stainless steel bracelet

Movement: Miyota 9015 (28,800 BPH)

Crystal: Sapphire with double anti-reflective coating

Water Resistance: 600m/ 1970ft

Retail Price: $920.00 USD (prices may differ due to fluctuations in exchange rate)

After a short wait, I received the standard brown packaging. Within it, I discovered a bright orange pelican style case that screamed, “RESCUE ME!” on sight alone. This was the first time I had received a pelican case, so I was quite excited to unbox it. Inside the watertight explorer case, I discovered one spring bar tool, a set of screwdrivers, a set of extra spring bars, and, depending on which color you chose, an orange or yellow silicone rubber strap. The case was a nice touch and a well thought-out nod to the brand’s seaworthiness.

As with any water rescue, visibility is key, and the surface of the Sea Rescue Diver’s dial is best described as alive with historical colors. Greens and reds give way to oranges and yellows (depending on the color scheme chosen). Super-Luminova markers, which glow like a blue torch in absolute darkness, appear to float atop the matte, black dial. TWCO’s logo sits beneath the 12 o’clock position. Slightly below the center of the dial, one can see the watch’s name, depth rating, and an anchor, which appears to cradle the wording. The white second hand, powered by a Japanese Miyota movement at 28,800 beats per hour, surfs over the markers. The white sword minute hand is outlined in bright orange. The hour hand is the only one of the trio that does not have any orange on it, giving the user the ability to quickly discern it among the three.

If you’re a bit confused about the aforementioned radio room colors, don’t be, as the explanation is quite simple. But since I’m no sailor, I’ll grab an excerpt from TWCO’s explanation link, as they can say it better than I can. Many moons ago, all stations using 2182 KHz were required to maintain a strictly enforced three minute silence and listening period twice each hour, starting at h+00 and h+30. This allowed any station with distress, urgent, or safety traffic the best possible chance of being heard at that time, even if they were at some distance from other stations, operating on reduced battery power or perhaps reduced antenna efficiency. As a reminder, a typical clock in a ship’s radio room would have these silence periods marked by shading the sectors from h+00 to h+03 and from h+30 to h+33 in green. Similar sectors were marked in red for what used to be the corresponding silence and listening period on 500 KHz between h+15 and h+18 and from h+45 to h+48. Numerous other watch brands have incorporated this element into their design, with TWCO having accomplished it in a very subtle way.

Still confused? Here it is in layman’s terms. Imagine yourself in a crowded bar and you’re trying to order a much needed drink. Sadly, your voice is drowned out within the smoke filled room as boisterous voices supersaturate the air. Lucky for you, the cologne you put on wasn’t the only right choice you made that night, having strapped on your TWCO diver as well. At a glance, you note that its minute hand points to four periods of silence where the entire bar will become void of all noise. During those periods and only those periods, denoted by green and red markings, you’re able to hear a pin drop from across the room, but most importantly, your bartender will hear you. Capeesh?